3what Aspects Of The Bookdeep Wideandthe Prodigal Churchhave Stood O ✓ Solved

3 What aspects of the book Deep & Wide and The Prodigal Church have stood out the most to you thus far in your reading? (Be sure to cite a specific example from each book.) In the book, Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley, the writer introduces the reader to the book with a catchy topic, "Creating churches unchurched people love to attend." The book's information has its set-up background in the launch of North Point Church that has become the church being referred to as the church that the un-churched love to attend. The sections entail how North Point is formed as a church plan, with sections revealing some of the foundational principles of making disciples. Stanley also gives a deep comprehension of the challenges facing many churches to become deep and wide.

The most outstanding aspect in the book is the issue of consumerism. According to Stanley, “In our search for common ground with unchurched people, we’ve discovered that, like us, they are consumers.â€[footnoteRef:2] The author narrates how we grade ourselves based on our attractiveness to the target audience we attract. Stanley states we tend to become unapologetically attractional. The author further states that the continued search for common grounds with unchurched people has led to the discovery that we are all alike. He states that we are all consumers. [2: Andy Stanley.

Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016.] Another aspect of the book is the issue of hypocrisy. The author states that even in churches essentially designed for the saved people, hypocrites are the significant people who tend to be found there. He says that in churches designed for saved people, transparency and honesty are dangerous factors. Stanley believed that the church was a design by God to bring the gospel to the lost.

However, the church mission has changed, changing God's plan from the original purpose to bringing loss into the church. In the book "The Prodigal Church†by Jared C. Wilson, some exciting aspects have attracted my attention. The author narrates that the people who consider themselves mature in faith regularly attending church are largely dissatisfied and stalled in their spiritual growth. He states that the church has become increasingly interested in the numbers of the congregation rather than the original purpose of seeking God.

Churches are seeing the believers as the target audience instead of viewing God as the target audience. “But in the attractional model, great care and concern are given to identifying target customers and giving them the experience they want.â€[footnoteRef:3] Churches should be at the forefront in offering services that exalt God while fostering a genuine community of believers other than making attempts to attract more people to the church. Jared believes that the church's attractional system is broken, illustrating the better way by faithfully manifesting the gospel. [3: Jared Wilson. The Prodigal Church: A Gentle Manifesto against the Status Quo. Wheaton: Crossway, 2015.] How are the books similar in their approach? (Address the theological and philosophical approaches, not grammar or writing styles.) The authors use several similar philosophical approaches to emphasize the theological aspect in their books.

Both scenarios and examples from the Bible refer to the Bible while justifying their arguments. The Bible has been used to reflect on how the church has deviated from what the Bible tells us. In Chapter 5 of Deep and Wide , Stanley explains how the Jews and Gentiles were required to learn to flourish in the early church by quoting Acts 15: 19, 28-29 that states we should not make it difficult for Gentiles to turn to God. In his book, Jared uses the Bible to describe that God designed the church's mission to bring the gospel to the lost. These approaches help the authors to emphasize how the church has deviated from the original meaning.

How are the books dissimilar in their approach? Jared Wilson, in his book, gives ways in which the church should come up with various measures to make the church a better place. He offers solutions to multiple challenges facing the church, giving out ways to overcome these challenges. On the other hand, Stanley criticizes the church for deviating from the intended purpose to bring the gospel to the lost. These differences make the book stand unique in understanding the various challenges facing the church and measures that may be implemented in place to make the church a better place.

Bibliography Stanley, Andy. Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016. Wilson, Jared. The Prodigal Church: A Gentle Manifesto against the Status Quo.

Wheaton: Crossway, 2015. RESPOND TO DISCUSSION BOARD # WORDS STUDENT#1 C Mc Provide a substantive reply. Be sure to cover the following: · In what ways was your classmate’s assessment and your assessment similar? · In what ways was your classmate’s assessment and your assessment dissimilar? · In what way did the post make you think, and what did it make you think about? Provide examples and interaction with key points from the initial thread. As I read through the chapters, I could not help but relive some of the same thoughts, perceptions, and emotions my Family and I experienced when we moved back to the United States after our time as international missionaries to East Asia.

We were elitist in our thinking about church and really thought the American church was missing the mark when it came to "doing" church. Because of this, there are a number of aspects, ideas, and thoughts that stuck out to me in these books. In chapter three of Deep and Wide, Stanley writes about how the “church†is improperly translated from the original language. It should read ekklesia, not church. He speaks to the idea that Christ’s movement was to be just that, a movement, and not a place.

When we returned from being overseas, that is exactly what we sensed. Church was no longer a movement or gathering [1] of the people of Christ, but rather a place to come and feel good about ourselves. This follows into the other section of Stanley’s book that sticks out when he quoted Acts 15:19, “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.†[2] Are we setting the stage for a gathering of lost, sick, and hungry souls to come and be found, healed, and fed or is the “church†only for the well. Wilson, in chapter three, of his book says something similar as well, “The worship service must be conducted with the unbeliever in mind, but it doesn’t need to be conducted with the unbeliever in focus.â€[3] I believe for too long the church has gotten away from this driving force in bringing people to God and God to people.

The similarities in the books were fairly noticeable, especially as they both talked about worship being “supernaturalâ€, as Wilson put it. “The gospel that saved us ought to be a reminder itself that, for all the earthiness, for all the natural means, for all the restoration of the creation that God is doing, Christianity is sourced in God himself in heaven above. It is supernatural.â€[4] This is similar to how Stanley wrote regarding “providential relationshipsâ€[5] for changing the lives of non-believers. While there were similarities in these books, I felt they diverged on a number of topics as well. Specifically, Wilson sees the attractional church as not much more than attempting to fill seats with cheeks; and in doing so the message of the cross is lost.[6] It gets lost because the goal and aim is seats filled.

Stanley on the other hand would say, yes we get people through the door, but in doing so, we plug them into the gathering of the Body of Christ in order to present Christ and life change to them. [1] Andy Stanley, Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 58-59. [2] Ibid., 90. [3]Jared C. Wilson, The Prodigal Church: A Gentle Manifesto Against the Status Quo (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 62. [4] Ibid., 163. [5] Andy Stanley, Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 133. [6] Jared C. Wilson, The Prodigal Church: A Gentle Manifesto Against the Status Quo (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 25.

RESPOND TO DISCUSSION BOARD # WORDS STUDENT#2 D Par Provide a substantive reply. Be sure to cover the following: · In what ways was your classmate’s assessment and your assessment similar? · In what ways was your classmate’s assessment and your assessment dissimilar? · In what way did the post make you think, and what did it make you think about? Provide examples and interaction with key points from the initial thread. The aspect of Deep & Wide that stood out to me was that the church is a movement rather than a location.[1] Stanley points out that the Greek term for “church†is best translated as gathering. Also, Stanley explains that the movement of church is for unchurched people.

This means the target of the movement should be people who do not attend church. In other words, the church should not hold to traditional models or means to reach people for Jesus. Instead, it is essential to do whatever it takes to reach unchurched people. This may mean that the church uses unconventional means to draw people to Sunday services. The observation of a church being a movement is one that should not be missed.

It seems that many believers only view the church as a location. Stanley’s advice about the church being for unchurched people can be dangerous if taken out of context. I do believe that the church is for born-again believers to grow. However, I believe that the church needs to be a place for the unreached as well. I believe it is essential for the body of Christ to seek after those that are lost in whatever means necessary.

Stanley pushes his readers to think of the church as a “movement†and not an institution. The aspect of The Prodigal Church that stood out to me was Wilson’s explanation of the attractional church method not working. I was challenged to think if my church is really doing what God has called us to do. It is essential to make sure that my church is not engaging in pragmatism or consumerism.[2] It does seem that this method can focus on the needs of people rather than God’s character. Both books are great and bring up some great points.

There do seem to be some similarities at various places throughout the book. The one similarity that stands out is that both books attempt to show that any ministry model must focus on God. The priority needs to be showing people who God is. The way that a church does this is through God and his Word. The approach that Deep & Wide takes the approach that focuses on reaching the unchurched community for Christ.

The church's idea is a movement that gathers communities rather than waiting for communities to come to the church. The author believes that the church exists for unchurched people. This means that the goal is to use means that attract people even if it doesn't bring many unchurched people. The author wants pastors to know that Sunday morning should be the main focus of this method. The reason being is that attracting people to a Sunday morning service will help people seek God.

The Prodigal Church’s approach is to focus on the believers that are already attending the church. Wilson believes that the primary goal of Sunday service is to raise up strong believers. These believers will be the ones that reach the unchurched population in their neighborhoods or places of work. It seems that Stanley is focused on unbelievers, and Wilson is focused on believers. The end goal for both is to reach the lost.

However, the approach to do so is very different. [1] Andy Stanley, Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 65. [2] Jared C. Wilson, The Prodigal Church: a Gentle Manifesto against the Status Quo (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 49.

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In examining the two books Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend by Andy Stanley and The Prodigal Church: A Gentle Manifesto Against the Status Quo by Jared C. Wilson, several compelling and thought-provoking aspects emerge, reflecting both similarity and divergence in the authors' approaches to the challenges facing contemporary church movements. Each text not only critiques existing church methodologies but also strives to propose constructive pathways for congregational transformation.

Consumerism and the Attractional Church

One of the standout concepts from Stanley's Deep & Wide is the notion that modern church culture has become increasingly consumerist—the church has become a product to be marketed rather than a spiritual movement aimed at fostering a deep relationship with God among its congregants. Stanley articulates, “In our search for common ground with unchurched people, we’ve discovered that, like us, they are consumers” (Stanley, 2016, p. 45). This observation highlights the primary challenge of balancing the church’s mission of outreach with the risk of commodifying faith. Stanley’s North Point Church serves as a successful case in point, adept at attracting unchurched individuals while attempting to remain focused on Jesus' teachings.
Conversely, Wilson asserts that the consumer-driven approach of the attractional church leads to a dilution of the Gospel message, prompting congregations to prioritize attendance figures over genuine discipleship. He brings forth a strong critique of the attractional model by stating, “the attractional model, great care and concern are given to identifying target customers and giving them the experience they want” (Wilson, 2015, p. 62). This model embodies a façade of success, reducing worship to mere entertainment and failing to nurture spiritual growth among believers. Wilson's argument aligns with Stanley's concerns regarding consumerism but emphasizes a necessary shift back towards God-centered worship and discipleship within the church.

Hypocrisy within the Church

Another noteworthy aspect of Deep & Wide involves Stanley's discourse on hypocrisy and the false narratives often perpetuated within churches focused solely on the already saved. He argues that transparency and honesty are essential yet often avoided due to fears of judgment among congregants (Stanley, 2016, p. 102). This dilemma reflects a disconnect between the church's mission of inclusivity toward those outside the faith and the inner dynamics of the church community itself. Stanley contends that the church was divinely designed to reach the lost, yet it struggles to maintain that focus, often prioritizing the comfort of its existing members above outreach.
On the other hand, Wilson addresses the stagnation among church attendees who consider themselves mature believers. He underscores that many such individuals feel unfulfilled and lack spiritual momentum (Wilson, 2015, p. 70). By shining a light on this hypocrisy—where the church appears vibrant on the surface while many believers remain spiritually stagnant—Wilson echoes Stanley's critiques but offers a call to action for churches to refocus on authentic worship and spiritual maturation.

Biblical Foundations

Both authors employ biblical references to support their theological stances. Stanley utilizes the Acts 15 passage, illustrating that the early church prioritized welcoming Gentiles without unnecessary barriers (Stanley, 2016, p. 85). He argues that the church today should embody this ethos of inclusivity. Likewise, Wilson emphasizes that the church's ultimate target should be God rather than merely attracting believers, which can obscure the church's true purpose (Wilson, 2015, p. 164). Both authors advocate for a return to scripture as the basis for church identity and mission.

Solving the Challenges

The path each author proposes is markedly disparate. Stanley focuses on methods to attract unchurched individuals, advocating for strategic adjustments to traditional church practices to create environments welcoming to all. His emphasis is on innovation and adaptability to meet the evolving needs of the community while presenting the Gospel (Stanley, 2016, p. 134).
In contrast, Wilson challenges believers to reassess their growth trajectory within the context of their church. He posits that the aim should be the cultivation of deep, authentic faith among believers who can then reach out to the lost (Wilson, 2015, p. 85). This is a more inward-facing approach, emphasizing a community of believers who live out their faith actively and empathetically within their neighborhoods—advocating a spread of the Gospel through genuine relationships rather than through attractional methods alone.

Conclusion

In summary, Deep & Wide and The Prodigal Church offer valuable insights into the complex dynamics of contemporary church life, each addressing the significant issue of consumerism within the church and providing critiques fueled by scripture. While Andy Stanley emphasizes outreach and adapting to the needs of the unchurched, Jared Wilson advocates for deep, committed Christian discipleship. The true challenge for modern churches lies in finding a balance between being a place that welcomes the lost while simultaneously fostering a community that genuinely seeks spiritual growth and authenticity in their walk with God.

References

1. Stanley, A. (2016). Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
2. Wilson, J. C. (2015). The Prodigal Church: A Gentle Manifesto against the Status Quo. Wheaton: Crossway.
3. Wiersbe, W. W. (2010). Be Dynamic: Live the Adventure of Faith. Wheaton: Victor Books.
4. Barna, G. (2008). Churches That Heal. Ventura: Regal Books.
5. Rainer, T. S. (2015). Autopsy of a Deceased Church: 12 Ways to Keep Yours Alive. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group.
6. McManus, Erwin Raphael. (2007) An Unstoppable Force: Daring to Become the Church God Had in Mind. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
7. Stetzer, E. (2018). The Challenge of the American Church: The 3 Headwinds Facing Local Churches Today. Chicago: Moody Publishers.
8. Murray, Andrew. (2011). With Christ in the School. Orem: Good Press.
9. Ortberg, J. (2017). All the Places to Go: How Will You Know?. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
10. Wilks, T. (2001). The Many Faces of Jesus: What We Can Learn from the Various Perspectives on the Life of Christ. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress.